Freehold Borough Among Top Places for Job Seekers

According to at least one website Freehold Borough is one of the best places in the state for people looking to find a job.

Nerdwallet.com put Freehold as the number six on their list as an example of a place which is bouncing back from the down economy and returning poeple to workforce. Among the criteria looked at was whether the municipality was growing, the ability to live comfortably in the town and the town’s unemployment rate.

According to their research between 2009 and 2011 there was a 5.6 percent increase in the working age population of the Borough. During that time the unemployment rate was 6.7 percent which put them below the state and national average. Some of the top employers cited were Saker ShopRites and CentraState Healthcare System.

Nerdwallet also looked at the success Brookdale Community College has had in providing adult education opportunities including a GED program as well as English as a second language. They also included the Children’s Learning Center as a positive in helping to provide affordable daycare for residents.

Freehold Borough may not have a strong resemblance to Hoboken, which claimed the top spot in the survey, but second place Lakewood CDP is just a short trip down Route 9 depending on Traffic. As part of Lakewood Township the Census Designated Place had its working-age population grow 19.1 percent in that time with an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent as well.

The Arc, which works with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities was cited for their work as part of the ranking as well as Georgian Court University’s work and employment of local residents.

Other local municipalities included in the survey were Woodbridge CDP and New Brunswick. Factors considered included the population change, the median household income, monthly homeowner costs with mortgage payments and the unemployment rate.